Rolling apparatus for making building blocks



A A. G. HATCH. ROLLING APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUILDING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7. 1921.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922-.`

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nw mw A. G. HATCH.. l ROLLING APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUILDING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN-7.1921.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922..

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ARTHUR G. HATCH, 0F DULUIITII,v IVJIINNESOTJL ROLLING APPARATUS FOR MAKING BUILDING BLOCKS.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 14, 11922.

Application ined January 7, 1921. 'serial No. 435,596.-

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR G. HATCH, a

`citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in. the county of St. Louis and State of lrlinuesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements in iolling Apparatus for lit/hiking Building Blocks, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for the construction of moldedl building blocks, and more specifi-- cally to a method whereby the material is placed7 compressed and formed in the molds by a continuous process.

in the construction of cement blocks in fixed molds a very large quantity of molds and other apparatus and large layouts are reipiired when making the blocks inquantitics. Moreover.; a large amount of hand labor is required in the tamping and forming of the blocks in the mold.v It isV also difficult to secure uniform tamping and filling and therefore to' secure blocks of uniform strength and texture.

It is an object of the present invention to provide block-making apparatus wherein the concrete or other lblock-forming material is treated by rolling or rocking mechanical conmacting process and wherein the operation :is carried forward continuouslythrough f a molding and compacting machine,

lt is a further object to provide an apparatus of this character which is comparatively simple in construction and which requires a minimum amount of hand labor.

Other and further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

My invention broadly comprises a conveyor system adapted to receive the blocle forming mixture and to carry it forward under compressing elements which register with the carrying conveyor and serve to compact and form the blocks.

I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings` in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Figure B is a section taken on line 3*3 of Figure 2; y

Figure l is a. plan view of the type of apparatus shown in Figure 1; and7 Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, but

showing a modified form of the apparatus.

Referring first to the form of 'apparatus ,v

shown in Figures 1 to L1, the conveyorffis carried upon the two hexagonal pulleysf7 and 8 and has its upper or workingrun supported by the series of rollers 9. Thelower run of the conveyor passes'through aieserfvoir 10 partly filled with a washing liquid l1. The chutes 12 and 13 are located in such position as to deliver material'totlie conveyor. The block-carrying pallets A or planks 141 are interiitted in the bottomy of the conveyor 6. The rolltable 15 is provided at the delivery end of the conveyor and has a stop 16. The compression conveyor'17 is carried by the hexagonal'pulleys 18` and 19 and has a portion of its lowerrun held inen'gagement with the conveyor 6 by means of the rollers 20 which are urged 4downwardly by the springs 21. These .rollersvare carried by any suitable jou'rn'alfconstruction 22. l i l ris shown in Figure i, the roll table i y provided with the delivery vmembers Q3. The delivery pusher 241 is actuatedby the arms 25 connected to the shaft of thek pulley 26 by the armsQ'T. Vrl`his pusher is `adapted to thrust the block-containing pallets onto the car 28. i l 4 VThe conveyor 6 is driven by means "offa pulley 29 located upon theV shaft 'ofthe pulley 8. As shownfin detail in FiguresQ and 3, the conveyor 6 comprisesaplurality` i of U-shaped members 30 connectefclfbypivot pins 3l. The conveyor 17 comprisesfa plurality of members 32 connected by pivots 33. These membersBQ have outer flanges A34 adapted to engage the outerV surfaces `.of the side flanges of the conveyor members. "30.

yThe lower faces of the members SQ'afre formed to correspond to thedesired block contour and then the upper surface is provided at35 with a depressed portion adapted to receive the compressing rollers 20. The members 30 are provided with the laterally extending lugs 36 which are adapted to engage the forward and rear ends of the outer flanges Sil yof the upper conveyor members This engagement serves to keep the two conveyors in proper registration and also serves to transmit the movement of the conveyor 6 to the conveyor 17.

The form of the device shown in Figure 5 is generally similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 4, the difference consisting in the fact that the upper compacting system comprises a wheel 37 having the caterpillar treads 38. The aXle of the wheelis urged downwardly by springs 39 carried in suitable journal members 40. The tread mem bers 88 are similar .in'd'esignto the members 32 of the conveyor 17 shown in Figures l to'4fand serve `the same purpose.

In the use of the apparatus, power is applied to the pulley 29,' thus putting in motion the conveyor 6 and through itsinterlocking engagement the conveyor 17. The blockreeeiving pallets 1li are placed in the lower conveyor, their division lugs 14 correspondving' tolthe pivots between adjacent conveyor sections 30. The block-forming material is 'poured into the pallets down the chutes 12 and'18" 'as "the pallets pass below these chutes.

Two chutesare provided inorder that a comparativelydry or facia-mix may be run into the molds `first, after'which a more liquidmix maybe added. Thismethod of mateirial feed provides also for the use of a' colored face portion for the block if de` sired, the coloring material being supplied 'only tothe Afacia-miX. 25

Y "As 'the conveyor 6' and its pallets pass forwardly into the compacting conveyor 17, the members 32"of the lower conveyor are pressed down 'upon lthe material by the roller 2O and thus compact and give it the ldesired upper contour. It will be noted that -this compacting occurs through a rocking movement, the forward end vof the member first engaging the material and similarly being the first to leavethe material.

`The form of apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4 has an advantage over that shown in Figure 5 in that with the same rapidity of conveyormovement, a longerperiod of com `pression is afforded the blocks.

vAs `the conveyor 6 is turned downwardly bythe pulley 8, the pallets 14C extend for-r ;"ward horizontally `until engaged by the rolls of ,theiroll table 15 along which they, are

oarriedby the"pressure"of the succeeding palletsfuntilfthey bring up against the stop 15. v'The pusher 24 operates against the side'of`the pallets to thrust them laterally across the members 23j and on to the `car 28 upon which they may be rolled to a suitable steamingV or curing chamber. The operating pulley 26 of the pusher may be connectedby'a'ny 'desired gearing to the means driving the conveyor 6 so that it opsrates.periodically at the proper interva s.

It will be noted that the pallets 14 serve as the actual molds for the lower face and for the ends of the blocks, the lower conveyor 6 serving asf the mold simply for the lsides ofthe blocks. There is therefore 'no tendency for the blocks to be broken on leav- K ing the lower conveyor although the material is still quite moist, since the separation of the members 30 from the pallets by the downward movement of these members affords a direct sliding break of Contact between the'sides of these members and the blocks. lith apparatus of this character ythe formation of the blocks is a continuous process and largenumbers of blocks may be formed in short periods of time., The blocks will be uniform in shape and in strength and a minimum of manual labor is required.

I claim: i

1.` Apparatus for making building block comprising a conveyor, blocl-l1olding pallets removably/ carried 4by said conveyor, a secf ond mold-carrying means adapted to bring the' secondary molds -intoworking relation 4'with the pallets 4andl conveyor, yand a roll the working run'of the conveyor, and means adapted to push the pallets out of 'alignment with the conveyor.

Signed at Dulutli,'l\linn., this 29th day of December, 1920. y

` ARTHUR Gr. HATCH. 

